Improvement in railway snow-shovels



J. W. ELLIOT.

Track Clearer.

No. 108,894. Patented Nov. 1, 1870.

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Track Clearer.

- No.108,894. Pat en t ed.Nov.1,1870.

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JOHN WHEELER ELLIOT, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

Letters Patent No..108,894, dated November 1, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY SNOW-SH OVELSF The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN Wmsnnnn Ennror, formerly of Leicester, Massachusetts, but now of Toronto, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and improved Railroad Snow-Shovel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, plate 1, is an elevation of one side of the improved snow-shovel.

Figure 2, plate 1, is a front view of the same.

Figure 3, plate 2, is a vertical section taken longituillgnally through the center of theshovel and its true Similar letters of reference indicate correspomliug parts in the several figures. I

The object of this invention is to apply in front of a locomotive engine a contrivance which will effectually clear snow from the track as the locomotive proceeds thereon, and discharge it lateral-1y from the upper side of the cylindrical portion of the machine. I

The nature of my invention consists First, in combining, with a broad flaring shovel or scoop, having a concavo-convcx back, a revolving discharging device, composed of radial blades, which will rapidly expel the snow gathered into the shovel through an opening made through the upper side of the same, as will be hereinafter explained.

Second, in providing the opening, through which a the snow is discharged from the shovel, with mova-L ble covers, for the purpose of causing the discharge of the snow from whichever side of the shovel it ma be desired, as will be hereinafter explained. To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will explain its construction and'op-c eration.

' In the accompanying drawing- 7 A represents a truck, which is. mounted upon wheels B B, and made of such size and strength as to adapt it for receiving and supporting the shovel or scoop, the revolving discharger, and the boiler 1 I shapes have been used fol? gathering in and discharg ingsnow from railroad-tracks in front of locomotives.

and engine for operating the latter independently of the power which is applied to propel the locomotive.

The front part of this truck has a depressed horizontal shovel, O, which is somewhat wider than the width of the track, and which is arranged very near the tops of the rails.

Upon this shovel O is constructed a flaring scoop or gatherer, D, which maybe of the form represented in the drawing, and which may be made of boileriron, strongly braced, to sustain the pressure of snow which is brought against it while clearing the track. This scoop has upwardly and outwardly a. flaring top,

and it terminates behind in a cylindrical portion l l,

having a back, which presents in front a conical or convex surface.

Within the cylindrical portion E, and keyed upon the front end of a longitudinal shaft, K, is a revolving discharger, which is composed of blades J J, radiating from a central hub, j, as showuiu the drawin.

Thc blades J of the discharger taper from their outer ends to the hubj, and their rear edges sweep provided on each .side of the central line with a slide,

G, which can be moved by the piece 9. By means of these slides one-half of opening 0 on the right-hand side can be closed for .discharglng'the snow-laterally to the left-hand side .of the track, or

the opposite half of the opening 0 can be made for discharging the snow on the right-hand side of the track.

The slides are held in place in the grooves m m,

formed into the longitudinal edges of the cylinder E,

bounding the opening 0. R

The shaft K is supported by suitable hearings on the'truck A, and rotated by a motive-power. independent of that which drives the locomotive, to which motive-power there shpuld be'a reversing appliance for giving either a right 01' leftmotion to the discharger, according to which side of the track it is desired to de liver the snow.

1am aware that revolving blades arranged in front .ofga locomotive, for clearing snow from the track, li'ave'be'eh' used before the invention her-cine);- "plained,' but-\vith such contrivances it was never contemplated to employ a shovel and receiver, havin enomes back, for gathering in the snow preparat'ory to its discharge from the track.

Iam also'awarc that scoops or plows of various I do not, therefore, claim as my invention any of these contrivances, separately considered.

The principle object of the covers of the snow-escape is to discharge the snow at a greater elevation at one time than at another, as, for instance, in deep cuts, or while passing trains. 'I' close the slide, in such cases, on the side the snow was thrown.

Having described my invention,

m1 diam \Vhat I claim as new,and desire to secure by Let tors Patent, is-- 1. The shovel G, surmounted by a flaring scoop,

D, and provided with a revoiuing discharger, J, substantially as described.

2. The convex back I? to tho shovel and scoop, in combination with a revolving discharger, substantially as described.

3. The shovel and scoop, terminating in cylindrical portion E, through which is an escape-opening 0, provided with slides G, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the truck A, of the de pressed horizontal shovel 0, having flaring sides and revolving blades J substantially as described.

. JOHN WHEELER ELLIOT. \Vitnesses:

J. D. EDGAR, S. M. WHITE. 

